The Phillies' ultimate hype man is locked in ... but it's not always easy

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HOUSTON -- Brandon Marsh is everybody’s hype man.

He’s typically the first out of the dugout to celebrate any big play. Just like last Friday, when he popped out with a big smile and a fist pump after Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto slid across the plate less than a half-second apart, providing one of the cooler highlights of the season.

That’s the Marsh everyone has gotten used to seeing over the past few seasons in Philadelphia: Smiling, cheering, bringing the energy.

“You need those guys,” said shortstop Trea Turner. “Some days, not that we don’t want to come to the field, but we’re a little tired after a road trip or a long flight or whatever it is, he’s the guy who can kind of just be the same every day and bring that energy. Guys like that are super important.”

But it’s not always as easy it looks, especially with the way Marsh’s season started.

Given the chance to be the Phillies’ everyday center fielder, Marsh began the year just 4-for-42 (.095) with 16 strikeouts. Things went from bad to worse when he landed on the IL with a strained right hamstring on April 20.

“Honestly, it was really rough for me, man,” Marsh said this week in Houston. “You work so hard in the offseason and spring to come out here and fight with your guys and fight for your city, and I wasn’t producing. It stunk, to be honest with you. Not just for the team, obviously, but for me personally.”

Somehow, Marsh barely showed it. Even during his struggles, his energy never changed in the Phillies’ dugout -- and he even brought that same attitude to Triple-A Lehigh Valley during his rehab assignment.

“They do the same for me, man, because the thing that helped me get through it all was the whole staff, all my teammates here,” Marsh said. “And I know it sounds cliché, but even guys at Triple-A like Stubby, Arroyo and a bunch of other guys -- too many to name. I just leaned heavily on my brothers, and they obviously helped.”

Since returning from the IL on May 3, Marsh is slashing .330/.398/.459. His .857 OPS during that span ranks third on the team, trailing only Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.

“He’s been great,” manager Rob Thomson said. “He’s a great teammate, and he’s swinging the bat. … He’s been really good, so just want to keep [that] going.”

That’s partially why Marsh started against a left-handed pitcher on Wednesday for just the second time since the start of May. The other reason was simply that Marsh hadn’t started a game since Saturday, with the Phils facing a lefty on both Sunday and Tuesday (and an off-day Monday).

Marsh went 2-for-3 on Wednesday, with all three at-bats coming against left-handers. Overall, he’s slashing .276/.400/.379 (.779 OPS) against lefties this season, compared to .262/.333/.377 (.710 OPS) against righties. Of course, he has only 36 plate appearances vs. left-handers and 138 vs. right-handers.

Marsh has had solid stretches against left-handers in the past, but he’s never sustained it when given consistent run.

Thus, Thomson isn’t ready to move away from a center-field platoon between Marsh and Johan Rojas just yet. That said, Thomson isn’t ready to label Marsh (or second baseman Bryson Stott) as strictly a platoon player.

“I hope they’re everyday guys. I hope,” Thomson said. “We’ll see how it all transpires.”

Wednesday won’t be Marsh’s last opportunity against a southpaw, but he’s trying to keep the same approach every time he steps to the plate, regardless of who’s on the mound.

He’s just happy to be hitting again.

“It feels good just to feel like I actually belong here again,” Marsh said with a laugh. “This game will beat you down, man. … It’s the best game in the world, it can just be really hard sometimes. But that’s what makes the good times so beautiful.”

Marsh has been a key contributor offensively for a while now, but especially over the past few weeks at a time when the Phillies have desperately needed it in the absence of Harper.

Marsh is hopeful that he can keep this turnaround going. So, too, are the Phillies.

Either way, he’ll be the first one out of the dugout on that next big play.

“We’ve got a lot of dudes on this roster who can win us a ballgame, you know?” Marsh said. “I have all the belief in myself in the world, but at the end of the day, I’m the nine-hole hitter -- which I love, don’t get me wrong -- but there are so many guys here that can help us win every single night.

“So my job, when I’m not in there, is just to be keeping everyone at ease and helping my guys get it done any way I can. That’s just the culture that we’ve built here, from the veterans down to guys like myself.”